Follow our two Winter Taglit Birthright Trips on Bus 1120 and 1121 as they travel around Israel!

Follow by Email

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem!

Today was our first full day in Jerusalem and for many, their
first Shabbat in Israel.

Shabbat began last night with a candle lighting service in
which some members of our trip shared their family’s traditions and employed
them in our candle lighting. We then headed to a variety of services including
reformed, conservative, Orthodox and a “learners service” which included a
discussion about Shabbat. A majority of our bus attended the conservative
service, which was held in a room with windows that allowed us to watch the sun
set on Jerusalem. Following services and Shabbat dinner, Ally and Jon planned
an Oneg Shabbat, which included traditional (and delicious) Israeli desserts as
well as a few games planned by members of our programming committee.

As Shabbat is a day of rest, we were given a choice of
attending services at a Jerusalem synagogue, relaxing and recharging with a
yoga class or just catching up on sleep. Some of our members that attended
services shared with the group how welcomed they felt by the synagogues congregation,
whom made sure everyone had tallit and felt comfortable in the service.

After lunch, we headed outside to play games that had been
planned by our Israeli soldiers. We then headed to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah service
for several participants who wanted to reaffirm their commitment to Judaism
with a Bar/Bat Mitzvah in Jerusalem.

Following the service, all of the groups staying at our
hotel headed to the hotel terrace where we had a joint Havdalah service in
front of the city lights led by the participants who just had their Bar/Bat
Mitzvah. It was an excellent experience to close out Shabbat with the entire
Hillel group and dance on the rooftop.

Ally and Jon then led us in a reflection program by asking
questions regarding our Israel experience and personal beliefs. It gave us a
good chance to think about what has been going on and the changes everyone was
experiencing in their religious and personal beliefs.

Currently, we are preparing to head to Ben Yehuda street for
dinner, shopping and to experience Israeli nightlife.

Having previously visited Israel, I had a slightly different
experience today than others that experienced their first Shabbat in Israel.
Rather than seeing everything for the first time, I received an equally great
experience by watching how others reacted to Shabbat in Jerusalem. By far, the
coolest part of the day was hearing about everyone’s moment when it first hit
them that they were in Jerusalem for Shabbat. For some it was watching the city
begin shutting down on the drive in. Others watched the women prepare the
Shabbat table from our hotel rooms. A few people shared with the group that it
didn’t fully hit them until attending services this morning. For first-timers
or returners to Israel, there is nothing as spiritual as spending
Shabbat in Jerusalem.